Gilligan's Island AOL CHAT

Chat With The Professor, Mary Ann and Gilligan...NOT!

Welp...I was there, were you? If not, you didn't miss a whole heck of a lot. I was disappointed by the fact that it was very impersonal, and way too short. Even though the chat lasted for 30 minutes, it seemed like 30 seconds. Since I didn't have AOL, I signed up for it just to check it out. (What the heck, they send me a CD every month) I found myself in room 22 with a bunch of other people talking to each other, and I'm not even sure that the castaways saw anything we were typing, in fact, I'm sure they didn't. I realize that they couldn't possibly answer all 100 people chatting to them, but it seemed as if I was only a spectator, which it was. Anyways, I have the transcript below for those of you who missed it. Keep in mind that this is not how the chat appeared. To see the mess I saw click here.

Q: What have you learned with the TV show? Amanda, 13, WA.

Bob "Gilligan" Denver: The fans are terrific.

Russell "Professor" Johnson: I agree, the fans love these characters.

Dawn "Mary Ann" Wells: The fans are terrific... all over the world.

Scroll down to read the full transcript...
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AOLiveMC2: Welcome, everyone, to this exciting reunion of "Gilligan's Island."

Dawn "Mary Ann" Wells: Happy to be with you guys!

Russell "The Professor" Johnson: I'm innocent.

AOLiveMC2: Okay, let's get down to business with this question:

Question: Was the truck made of bamboo leaves really a car or just a cutout?

Bob "Gilligan" Denver: It was a real golf cart covered in bamboo. I faked pedaling.

Question: Do you think they will make a new version of "Gilligan's Island"?

Russell Johnson: There is going to be a film, we have heard this for many years. They
are still talking. They are still trying to get Ted Turner on the phone.... :::laughter:::

Question: Have the remaining cast members kept in touch through the years?

Bob Denver: Yes.

Dawn Wells: Yes... all do.

Question: Dawn, I remember reading that Mary Ann's hometown gave you a celebration a few
years back; would you say that it was one of the highlights of playing Mary Ann? Did they
treat you as Mary Ann or as Dawn? Thanks, PenRynMom aka Cathy.

Dawn Wells: It was a highlight to have a fictional character go back to a live place... a
nice mix of fantasy and reality. The people were dear, treated me as Dawn, but made Mary
Ann real. It was lovely.

Question: What have you learned with the TV show? Amanda, 13, WA.

Bob Denver: The fans are terrific.

Russell Johnson: I agree, the fans love these characters.

Dawn Wells: The fans are terrific... all over the world.

Question: Do you miss the show?

Dawn Wells: Sometimes, and I miss a lot of the people.

Bob Denver: I miss the sense of getting up and going to work every day, the chemistry of the
cast every day was wonderful.

Question: For Mary Ann, will there be another cookbook soon?

Dawn Wells: I'm not sure about a cookbook, but I'm talking to publishers about another book.

Question: Were many of the items and props used for the "Gilligan's Island" show saved?

Bob Denver: Fortunately not.... :::laughter:::

Russell Johnson: It is too bad.

Question: Did you guys think that you would ever have an episode where you got off the island?

Bob Denver: Sure.

Russell Johnson: Years later we did.

Question: This question is directed to The Professor. If you were really on a deserted island,
would your opinion be that you could survive with the experiments you used in the show? Were any
of them really realistic?

Russell Johnson: Some of the things were real. Our creator wanted to make sure that some of the
things that the professor did and said were scientifically correct.

Bob Denver: How did he remember all that stuff?

Russell Johnson: How could I really survive... now if I had Mary Ann there.... :)

Question: Bob, I was wondering about your offscreen relationship with Mr. Hale, Jr. Was it as
close as many would guess? It seemed so natural, you just seemed to blend so well together. Thanks,
PenRynMom aka Cathy.

Bob Denver: Well, we did an awful lot of personal appearances together and it was a joy to work with
him. He loved people and he loved kids, and it was fun.

All: We all loved Alan, and what you saw was what you got.

Question: How old is Gilligan?

Bob Denver: Whatever age you like. :)

Question: How did you all hit it off when you first met?

Dawn Wells: I don't remember... but I tested with Russell.

Bob Denver: In a reading around the table... with pictures... and it was exciting to be together.

Russell Johnson: Nobody believed it would last, that it would be a series.

Dawn Wells: It was hard to believe that it would be a series.

Question: Hey Gilligan, what does it feel like when you watch your old shows on television?

Bob Denver: :::laughter::: I remember what was going on behind the camera, the silliness, the
jokes... it was a competition telling jokes. Jim got people from New York to tell jokes. :::all laughing:::

Question: To each of you -- what was your favorite episode?

Russell Johnson: Dream sequences when we got to play different characters.

Dawn Wells: The "Hamlet" episode with Phil Silvers is a favorite.

Question: Dawn: Was there ever a show taping where you thought "this is really silly"? If so, which one(s)?
My fav is when you thought you were Ginger.

Dawn Wells: I think the question is more... This is really silly? They were all fun to do.

Question: At the time, did you think 35 years later you would still get together in reunion shows, and Mr.
Denver, the best thing I ever saw you in was the film "Who’s Minding The Mint?" Any comment on that film?

Bob Denver: Phyllis Diller was something else. She was great to work with and her laugh broke everybody up...
stopped shooting every time.

Question: Did it ever hurt when Alan Hale, Jr. hit you with his hat?

Bob Denver: No, he was a very careful physical comedian, and we were all very careful with each other.

Question: "Mary Ann," are you still a spokesperson for my alma mater, Stephens College?

Dawn Wells: Absolutely, a spokesperson, I am on the alumnae board and happy there is an alum saying hello.

Question: Did you guys ever get rescued on the final episode? I never saw it.

Dawn Wells: No. Still swimming, then we got rescued 12 years later and then got marooned again.

Question: Is Bob Denver's radio show still on anywhere in the New York area, and does it have a web site?

Bob Denver: No, but I do have a web site... bobdenver.com, and you can listen to three shows on the web site.

Question: Considering the changes that have occurred in comedy shows, would "Gilligan's Island" survive today
if it recently premiered?

Bob Denver: Good question. According to parents that write, yes. The kids that are exposed to it say yes. Time
placement would be important.

Question: How did you guys get your part and what was your reaction when you did?

Bob Denver: I met with the producer... and really wanted to do it.

Dawn Wells: I was a replacement, as was Ginger and The Professor, and we auditioned much later. It was a grueling
week and I was just thrilled... sorry I had to work with Russell. :::laugh:::

Russell Johnson: I auditioned with Dawn, and it was nice to have a job.

Question: Is anyone still doing any acting?

All: All the time.

Dawn Wells: I'm doing a play in LA called "Who Wants Fame" with Barry Gordon.

Russell Johnson: I'm doing voice-overs for radio, TV and narration for industrial films. Dawn and I did "Love Letters" together.

Dawn Wells: I did a pilot with Fran Drescher last summer.

AOLiveMC2: We have time for one final question.

Question: Were any of you worried about being typecast while making the show?

Bob Denver: Not in the least, because I am.

Dawn Wells: I wasn't worried.

Russell Johnson: It didn't concern me at the time, it did later, but not in the beginning.

Dawn Wells: I have a web site, dawn-wells.com, I have a film actors’ boot camp that I am very excited about... it's on
my web site. Russell, Bob and I have vintage clothing on our web sites and eBay sites.

AOLiveMC2: Dawn, Russell and Bob, our thanks for being such super guests! What an exciting time this was tonight! Our best
wishes to all of you.

All: Thank you, it was great, we had a great time. Thanks!

AOLiveMC2: And thanks to all of you wonderful fans of "Gilligan's Island" for these terrific questions. Good night, everybody!

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